NOVPUB"So you'll be a part of the Royalty Faction!?" Serene asked, her eyes wide with excitement as she neatly folded clothes and placed them into drawers.
The two of them were settling into a private residence on the Academy grounds, a benefit granted to the wealthy.
Luka sat on a chair by the window, inspecting his bow. He ran a finger along the string, checking its tension, making sure everything felt right.
"Yeah," he replied casually. "That's all the talk was. Nothing too interesting."
In truth, Serene had been dying to know what was discussed in that private meeting with the Second Princess, but Luka had remained tight-lipped until now.
He wanted to wait until they were in a secure environment before saying anything.
"That's perfect!" Serene beamed, spinning around with her hands clasped together.
"The Lord himself is part of the Royalty Faction too! So it's good you two won't be on opposite sides!"
Luka closed one eye, lifting the bow to eye level and aiming it out of habit.
"Just make sure not to tell anyone. I'm trusting you here—since you'll be by my side for a lot of upcoming events."
"Of course!" Serene quickly nodded, her head bobbing like a drumbeat. "My lips are sealed, Young Master!"
However…
Her expression shifted into an awkward, sheepish smile.
"Though… I don't think I'll be able to hold up if I'm being tortured…"
"Huh…?" Luka blinked, then let out a laugh, his smile genuine.
"That's fair, I guess."
He lowered the bow and leaned back in the chair, glancing her way.
"But don't worry, Serene. I won't let that happen to you. No one lays a finger on you while I'm around."
Serene's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away.
"Geez, Young Master. You're really a good man…"
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Currently…
Arthur walked down the dorm hallway with a wide grin plastered on his face.
His footsteps were light, almost bouncing with each step, as he whistled a playful tune.
"I really am the best."
His mind replayed the memories of clearing the dungeon in a good time—under twenty minutes, to be precise.
18 minutes and 21 seconds.
Arthur's chest puffed out in pride.
However, as his thoughts turned to the leaderboard, a sour taste filled his mouth.
'Luka Junker…'
The name was burned into his memory.
After all, Luka had taken the top spot on the leaderboard, and it gnawed at Arthur.
His jaw clenched at the thought of someone outshining him, especially a nobody.
Still, Arthur wouldn't let it bother him for long.
As he shook his head, dismissing the thought as quickly as it had come.
Instead, he focused on more pleasant ideas.
'Hopefully, the Second Princess was watching the live stream of me clearing the dungeon,' he mused, the idea of her attention making his heart beat a little faster.
Suddenly, he stopped abruptly when he reached the door to his temporary room.
The results of the test weren't in yet; they wouldn't be revealed until tomorrow.
'Ok, act cool…' Arthur took a couple of breaths.
He then pushed the door open and was greeted by the sight of three other guys around his age.
They were already engaged in conversation, but as soon as they saw him, they paused and turned their attention to him.
"Who are you? Are you also sleeping here for tonight?" The tall, buff one spoke first, his short blonde hair and green eyes sharp, earrings gleaming in his ears, a massive axe resting on his bed.
Before Arthur could respond, the shorter guy with glasses, brown hair, and equally brown eyes interrupted, adjusting his thick frames with an air of superiority.
"Y-you absolute, utterly clueless fool! Of course he's sleeping here tonight! You're such a dolt!"
He threw his hands up in exasperation, then adjusted his glasses again.
"Honestly, if you can't even grasp that, I'm pretty sure you failed the written exam."
The buff man ground his teeth, a small vein popping up on his forehead as he grabbed his axe with both hands.
"What did you say, pipsqueak? Do I need to beat some respect into you?" he snarled, his grip tightening on the handle.
The man with glasses, completely unfazed, rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"Please, by all means, go ahead," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You'll just get kicked out before they even decide whether you're rejected or accepted, you idiot!"
He stood up from the stool he was sitting on, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose, but he quickly adjusted them with a smug grin.
"You little—!" The buff man was about to swing…
However—
"Alright, alright, enough, enough!"
The last of the group—a fat man with short orange hair and piercing yellow eyes—stepped forward, his round face flushed with exertion.
He threw his hands up in a half-hearted attempt to mediate, his voice barely rising above a strained, nervous chuckle.
"Let's all just calm down for a second."
Sweat trickled down his brow as he wiped it away with the back of his sleeve, clearly feeling uneasy.
He shifted from one foot to the other, as if unsure whether to back away or stand firm.
"I'm Everard Digby, by the way. I'm nobody special. Just a commoner like anyone else... though, I do enjoy a good meal when I can get it."
Everard waved a hand toward the buff man beside him. "This is Thalor."
He shifted his gaze to the other man. "And that's Jaxom."
Patting his chest, Arthur opened his mouth. "Nice to meet you all. My name's Arthur Atlas! And, well… I like to think I'm somebody special!"
"Huh?" Thalor tilted his head, his expression turning to confusion.
"I've never heard of you. What makes you special, exactly?"
Arthur had been prepared for something like this, but the question still left him slightly irked.
He cleared his throat.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that I cleared a dungeon under 20 minutes," he said, flashing a smirk. "But enough about me."
"Wait a minute…" Everard's body jiggled with the sudden movement as he took a step forward, his round figure wobbling slightly.
He reached out eagerly and grabbed Arthur's hands with surprising strength, his palms slick with sweat.
Arthur recoiled instinctively, but he was blocked by the door behind him, the small room offering no escape.
Everard's eyes widened in recognition as he looked up, a grin spreading across his face.
"You're him!" he exclaimed, nearly choking on his excitement.
"You're the one who took third place on the leaderboard! I'm a huge fan of yours!"
